Highly integrated, two-stage LED driver controllers deliver flicker-free performance, simplified designs with low bill of materials; dimmable version offers smooth dimming down to 1%

LONDON — (BUSINESS WIRE) — March 1, 2016 — Dialog Semiconductor plc (FWB: DLG), a provider of highly integrated power management, AC/DC power conversion, solid state lighting (SSL) and Bluetooth^(R) Smart technology, today announced two new driver controllers for high power commercial LED lighting applications up to 90W. In these applications flicker-free operation is essential to avoid eye stress, particularly where there is long-term exposure to the light source. Dialog's patented Flickerless(TM) technology virtually eliminates flicker through digital control that achieves near-zero line frequency ripple.

The iW3629 (non-dimmable) and iW3631 (dimmable) digital power controllers simplify the design of LED power supplies by replacing up to 45 discrete components. Both devices can be used with small input and output bulk capacitors, and small transformers. This cuts power supply size, bill of materials and costs while optimising performance. The controllers feature better than 0.95 power factor (PF), less than 15% total harmonic distortion (THD) and 85%+ efficiency over a wide load range, easily meeting the requirements of the Design Lights Consortium (DLC)¹.

The controllers comprise a two-stage design with a rectified AC-input (90 to 277 VAC), active start-up, and a Boost circuit feeding a Flyback converter. The latter provides a constant current drive to the LEDs. Quasi-resonant control in both stages maximizes power efficiency. Dialog's PrimAccurate(TM) primary side sensing technology produces tight line and load regulation while eliminating the need for secondary side feedback components. Fast, smooth start-up takes less than half a second and PF settling time is minimal.

The iW3631 dimmable controller has a flicker- and shimmer-free dimming range of 1% to 100%. It has a built-in interface to industry-standard, 0-10V analog dimmers, so there's no need for an external driving source or microcontroller, and a dimming interface to support wireless solid state lighting applications.

Davin Lee, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Power Conversion Business Group at Dialog Semiconductor, said, "Commercial LED lighting customers are the most demanding in terms or LED lighting performance and reliability. However, the market is just as price sensitive as the consumer sector so we are constantly striving to help customers create lighting that combines leading-edge performance with the lowest possible cost. These two new high power LED driver controllers do exactly that using proven, patented technologies that produce visible competitive edge."

The iW3629 and iW3631 are sampling now and will be available in production quantities in Q2, 2016.

Digital controllers for high power commercial LED lighting applications will be demonstrated at Strategies in Light, March 1st - 3rd 2016 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, California.

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(1) The DesignLights Consortium is a trade organisation that brings stakeholders together to define and promote leading edge, high quality, high efficiency commercial lighting.

About Dialog Semiconductor

Dialog Semiconductor provides highly integrated standard (ASSP) and custom (ASIC) mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs), optimized for smartphone, computing, IoT, LED Solid State Lighting (SSL) and smart home applications. Dialog brings decades of experience to the rapid development of ICs while providing flexible and dynamic support, world-class innovation and the assurance of dealing with an established business partner. With world-class manufacturing partners, Dialog operates a fabless business model and is a socially responsible employer pursuing many programs to benefit the employees, community, other stakeholders and the environment we operate in.

Dialog's power saving technologies including DC-DC configurable system power management deliver high efficiency and enhance the consumer's user experience by extending battery lifetime and enabling faster charging of their portable devices. Its technology portfolio also includes audio, Bluetooth(R) Smart, Rapid Charge(TM) AC/DC power conversion and multi-touch.

Dialog Semiconductor plc is headquartered in London with a global sales, R&D and marketing organization. In 2015, it had approximately $1.35 billion in revenue and was one of the fastest growing European public semiconductor companies. It currently has approximately 1,650 employees worldwide. The company is listed on the Frankfurt (FWB: DLG) stock exchange (Regulated Market, Prime Standard, ISIN GB0059822006) and is a member of the German TecDax index.

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